1123 replies to this topic

[JohnN]

nobody wants to drink water from a barrel. but such a tiny fraction of our water goes to drinking and cooking it’s almost a shame we don’t have a dual system.

we spend billions of dollars on conservation treatment and protection of our “drinking water” that we use to wash our cars or water our lawns.

CRD does pay a lot to disinfect drinking water, but "treatment" usually involves filtering water in addition to disinfection. We'll probably be forced to build/operate a massive filtration plant ($150-200 million capital cost) in a few years, either by federal decree or when the Leech watershed supply is brought online. 

 

For dual systems, so much of the expense of water supply is in the distribution infrastructure, probably would only be economically feasible in non-urban, "off the grid" systems.

However, according to a Water Research Foundation 2019 study, there are about 300 dual water systems in the US, related particularly to reclaimed water (ie, treated sewage effluent)

 

In the CRD, there are limited examples of dual systems but probably farms are the only systems I can recall - what was the common farm-pond for crops/animals and the well (with disinfection and constant monitoring) for farm family consumption. 

[Victoria Watcher]

yes interesting john.  

 

yes perhaps dual systems are only economical when starting from scratch.

[todd]

No  surprise that CRD water consumption goes up in an inverse relationship with the normal summer drought. The supply-consumption relationship was widely promoted during the contested efforts to raise Sooke Dam by 5 metres. Otherwise, storing drinking water in a barrel was discouraged and Raeside cartoon helps get the message across. 

My rain barrel is for emergencies only.

[Mike K.]

We waste huge sums of water waiting for hot water to run hot in the tap. We also waste huge sums of water washing dishes in the sink.

There are so many efficiencies that we can pursue but still, the population is growing and the capacity of the reservoirs isn’t. So either we expand the reservoir, or start mandating cisterns with new developments that can feed into garden or landscape watering.

[sebberry]

We waste huge sums of water waiting for hot water to run hot in the tap.

A friend did a 'down to the studs' reno on a early 1900s house and put in a circulation pump to keep the hot water closer to the taps.  My condo with central hot water is like this too, I never wait more than a few seconds for hot water.

[Victoria Watcher]

^ ^ or we curtail development. that’s the path we have chosen.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 02 January 2021 - 11:49 AM.

[Nparker]

...the population is growing and the capacity of the reservoirs isn’t....

The region was forced to spend nearly a billion dollars to build a wastewater treatment facility - that may or may not have any significant environmental benefit - while year after year we watch huge amounts of useful water get wasted (take a look outside today for ample evidence of this) by not expanding our storage capacity. It's sheer lunacy.

[Mike K.]

Yes, there are improvements, but it will take many decades for them to make a difference. Thousands of new homes were built over the last few years with traditional hot water tanks.

I do believe that 10,000 litre water cisterns should be standard. They would fill up every winter and provide many weeks, if not months even, of garden irrigation while capturing what little rain we do have over the summer months. Does that not sound reasonable?

Quite likely you’d be able to keep that full from November through April or May. Then use up the supply into June or longer.

[spanky123]

I notice that at Dec 31st we were close to 100% capacity at the reservoirs and that our annual rainfall was slightly above the 100+ year average. H2o watch 2020.xlsx (crd.bc.ca)

 

How many times this year were we told that global warming was causing a drought? 

[todd]

Ok maybe that's my next questions when is the last time we went to stage 2?  

 

 

I believe that was before storage capacity had increased?

[todd]

There are so many efficiencies that we can pursue but still, the population is growing and the capacity of the reservoirs isn’t. So either we expand the reservoir, or start mandating cisterns with new developments that can feed into garden or landscape watering.

In 150 years maybe?

Edited by todd, 02 January 2021 - 01:10 PM.

[Rex Waverly]

For dual systems, so much of the expense of water supply is in the distribution infrastructure, probably would only be economically feasible in non-urban, "off the grid" systems.

However, according to a Water Research Foundation 2019 study, there are about 300 dual water systems in the US, related particularly to reclaimed water (ie, treated sewage effluent)

 

In the CRD, there are limited examples of dual systems but probably farms are the only systems I can recall - what was the common farm-pond for crops/animals and the well (with disinfection and constant monitoring) for farm family consumption. 

 

I think it's becoming more common for reclaimed water systems (either rain catchment or grey water recycling (or both)) in new developments, particularly office / institutional buildings but also multi-storey residential buildings.  There are a lot of incentives for energy / water efficient developments, and there are (i believe) now requirements for any new government buildings to meet some level of LEED standards (I want to say Gold but am not sure).

 

I know in my office building, they've got warnings on the bathroom taps to not drink the water, since it's recycled (I think in this case it's a rain catchement system). Also the same warning sticker is on the urinals, just in case i guess. 

[JohnN]

Water quality reports  for CRD municipalities and distribution reservoirs that include turbidity can be downloaded from the drop-down menus on the Drinking Water Quality Reports page.  

"High turbidity can interfere with the chlorination process used to disinfect the drinking water for the 45,000 residents served by the Comox Valley water system," the regional district said in its notice.

[Barrrister]

At least I am not pumping out my backyard. But I hate to think what it is like at the bottom of the hill. Stay dry and be a bit careful if you are driving.

[Mike K.]

I notice that at Dec 31st we were close to 100% capacity at the reservoirs and that our annual rainfall was slightly above the 100+ year average. H2o watch 2020.xlsx (crd.bc.ca)

How many times this year were we told that global warming was causing a drought?

We’re at 115% so far since September and the drought alarms haven’t been run since 2018. 2019 proved to be a wet year and 2020 was also wet, hence the silence.

[todd]

I notice that at Dec 31st we were close to 100% capacity at the reservoirs and that our annual rainfall was slightly above the 100+ year average. H2o watch 2020.xlsx (crd.bc.ca)
 
How many times this year were we told that global warming was causing a drought?

I believe we were told extreme/different weather? But yes I have not noticed a lick of change around here yet at least with my bare eyes. Has been a very warm winter though this year.

[todd]

I believe that was before storage capacity had increased?

Les Leyne: 1995 decision ensured our water supply

 

"...So the toughest water restrictions ever imposed in Victoria were announced in April. Stage 3 was declared in the spring and went through the fall and winter.

 

The dam was finished in 2003, with water down to one-third capacity by then. The size of the reservoir increased by 80 per cent; it gradually filled up and the crisis faded..": https://www.timescol...upply-1.1997302

Edited by todd, 03 January 2021 - 10:14 AM.

[Nparker]

...The size of the reservoir increased by 80 per cent; it gradually filled up and the crisis faded...

Funny how collecting and storing more water had this effect.

[todd]

We all know what started the watering watching movement: https://youtu.be/k5x0mLjZhvo

also so true: https://youtu.be/lyZ41rgC07o

More relevant than the Bible.

Edited by todd, 03 January 2021 - 11:10 AM.

[JohnN]

Interesting coincidence of recent report in the media couple of weeks ago of CRD drinking water "foul taste" and the just-posted CRD award without competition for an "Imaging Microscopy System for Phytoplankton and Zooplankton" to be used by the CRD drinking water lab.

 

If you go to the CRD website, the top header ticker-tape style information passing currently is that there is a "Blue-green algae bloom at Elk Lake in Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park" and a "Boil Water Advisory: Lyall Harbour Boot Cove Water Service (Saturna)"